Purse.



' PURSE.

APPLIOATION rum) un. 1a, 1009.

Patentgd Sept. 7, 1909.

ELIS 61mm), or LIDKGPING, SWEDEN.

rrmsn.

Specification of Iietters Patent.

Patented Sept. '7, 1909.

'Applicationfiled January 16, 1909. Serial No. 472,761.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that-I, ELIs OLUND, a sub: j ect of the King of Sweden, and residing at Lidkoping, Sweden, engineer, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Purses; and I do hereby declare'the followlng to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of this lnvention is to provide a purse of simple construction which is normally held in closed osition and can be opened by the hand which holds it and will close automatically when released or dropped.

In purses as now constructed one is generally obliged in opening to use both hands, holding the purse in one hand while opening the lock with the other. Moreover if such a purse when open be dropped its contents will fall out and be scattered.- In my invention these disadvantages are overcome by the provision of a spring secured to one jaw of the purse-frame and acting on the other at the pivot to hold it closed against the first, but by pressing the ends of the spring the purse is caused to open. In its most improved form, my invention also comprises means operated by said spring for locking the two jaws together at the middle point.

In the drawings, Figure l is a longitudinal and Fig. 2 a'transverse section of apurse constructed according to my invention.

In these drawings every reference letter refers always to the same part.

The purse consists as usual of a pair of three-sided jaws A and B pivoted together.

at their ends, and the leather-bag L, the edges of which are secured to the jaws in any preferred manner. The jaws B and A have at their ends pivot lugs C and D, but the pivot-members upon which the jaws turn, instead of being the usual rivets, con-- sist of a pair of members E constructed with helical edges, and formed most simply as here shown by twisted pieces of sheet metal. These pivot-pieces E are secured to the ends of a leaf-spring F conforming to the shape of the outer jaw A and secured thereto at intermediate points but having its ends free as shown, to which the pivot members E are secured. The outer pivot-lugs D of the jaw A have a circular aperture to admit the pivot-piece E, which can move back and forth therein,but the pivot-lug C of the jaw B is formed with a slit G or other aperture corresponding in shape to the cross-section of the member E, so-that when the members E move endwise, said lugs C, and the jaw B of whichthey are a part, must necessarily be rotated. Now the direction of the twist of themembersE is such that when they are pressed in by a pressure of the finger and thumb upon the springs F the jaws are opened, and when the springs F are released they act to automatically close the jaws again.

In the preferred form of my invention I provide furthermore a lock at the center of the jaws which is actuated by the spring F. This may be constructed in various forms, but as here shown comprises a depression H formed in the middle of the spring F and engaging a corresponding depression in the frame B. The spring F is secured to the jaw A only at points I 1, near the elbows of the jaws, so that when the ends are pressed in as above described the reaction causes the depression H to spring outwardly and release the jaw B. Hence until the purse is thus positively opened in the manner mentioned, it is locked in the shut position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a purse, the combination of a pair of jaws pivoted together at their ends, and having pivot-lugs at said ends, a pair of pivot-members having helical edges, said pivot-members having an 'endwise movement with respect to the pivot-lugs, and means mounted on one jaw for holding said pivot-lugs resiliently in their outward positions; the pivot lugs of said last-named jaw having apertures through which said pivotmembers move freely, and the pivot-lugs on the other jaw having apertures to conform with and engage the helical edges of said pivot-members, whereby' the two jaws are opened when said pivot-pieces are pushed 2. A purse comprising, in combination, a pair of jaws having apertured pivot-lugs at their ends and being pivoted together thereat, aleaf-spring conforming to the shape of one of said jaws and secured thereto, and a pair of pivot-pieces having helical edges secured to the respective ends of said spring and passing through the, apertures in sald pivotdugs; the lugs of the jaw to which the spring is secured being shaped to permit the free passage of said pivot-pieces, and the lugs of the other jaw being shaped to engage the helical edges of said pivot-pieces so as to be turned thereby when said pivotpieces move endwise 3. A purse comprising, in combination, a

pair of jaws having apertured pivot-lugs at their ends and being pivoted together thereat, a leaf-spring conforming to the shape of one of said jaws and secured thereto at two points midway between the middle and ends, and a pair of pivot-pieces secured to the respective ends of said spring and passing through the apertures in said pivot-lugs; the apertures of the lugs of the jaw to which the spring is secured being shaped to permit the free passage of said pivot-pieces, and

the apertures of the lugs of the other jaw being shaped to engage the helical edges of said pivot-pieces so as to be turned thereby when said pivot-pieces move endwise, said spring being provided at the middle with a device normally engaging the opposite jaw to hold it shut, but being caused by the reaction of pressing in the ends to stand apart from the jaw so engaged and thus release the same.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ELIS (jLUND Witnesses:

ADoLr Roi-nus, CARL A. BEHRENS. 

